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Rapid Response Program

Based on the idea of the teachable moment, LIRNEasia makes quick responses to specific requests for training/advice by governments/entities in the region. The response primarily takes the forms of

(a) a written submission (e.g., to a public consultation or to media) or

(b) a country visit that includes one or more presentations.

In the case of a country visit, the following rules of engagement apply:

  1. The Requestor shall bear all local costs and will make best efforts to reimburse the receipted airfare of the LIRNEasia Consultant. LIRNEasia shall bear the professional fees of the consultant.
  2. The Requestor will ensure that a productive program with the participation of government, private sector and civil society representatives at a decision making level will be arranged. The Requestor will distribute and make available background documents provided by the Consultant and agreed to by the Requestor.
  3. The Consultant will provide mutually agreed upon deliverables.
  4. The Requestor will provide a report on the efficacy of the visit and any actions resulting from it to LIRNEasia within one month of its completion. LIRNEasia may post this information on its website and otherwise use it in its work.

2008

  • Chanuka Wattegama responded to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s (BTRC) Draft Regulatory and Licensing guidelines for invitation of proposals/offers for issuing license for establishing, operating and maintaining Broadband wireless access services in Bangladesh. LIRNEasia pointed out that Broadband prices in Bangladesh was one of the highest in the region. Therefore, an increase in supply is necessary. However, LIRNEasia disagreed with the rational of preventing existing operators from offering wireless broadband services. Furthermore, the response stressed that the minimum bandwidth should reflect future consumer requirements and the operators should ensure minimum bandwidths at least upto the first international entry point. The response document can be downloaded HERE
  • Harsha de Silva and Chanuka Wattegama responded to Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Sri Lanka’s Public Consultation on Planning and Implementing of a National Backbone Network (NBN). LIRNEasia argued that proposal had failed to take into consideration the prospective growth in demand for broadband and that the existing infrastructure was able to cater to the projected demand. The findings of LIRNEasia’s Broadband QoS Benchmarking study were used to show that a NBN would not necessarily bring about the proposed improvements in broadband quality. The full response can be downloaded HERE
  • Harsha de Silva made a response to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s consultation paper no. 2/2008 dated 21st January 2008 on the Access Deficit Charge (ADC) . LIRNEasia was the only non-Indian entity to send in a response.   LIRNEasia agreed with the phasing out of the ADC, taking the stance that the ADC was merely ‘a politically motivated tax on private operators to protect the incumbent, its employees and its copper-wire access network during a very long transition to competition.’ In today’s context   the need for the phasing out the ADC is much greater as there is no need for every new mobile customer getting connected to a network; who is more rural and less affluent, subsidizing a legacy wire line customer; who by virtue of having got connected early on is less rural and more affluent. Subsequently, on 27 March 2008 TRAI announced that the ADC will be completely removed from April 1 2008.

2007

  • Rohan Samarajiva and Harsha de Silva made a policy intervention on a proposed tax on mobile users in Sri Lanka in August and September 2007.  Whilst conceding the need for taxes as a source of government revenue, LIRNEasia used the findings of the Teleuse@BOP research to illustrate why the Sri Lankan government’s proposed plan to levy a flat monthly tax of LKR 50 per SIM card plus a 7.5 percent mobile levy would disproportionately affect bottom of the pyramid (BOP) mobile users. The outcome was a floor amendment eliminated the regressive fixed tax though the levy percentage was increased.  The change reduced the tax burden on all customers paying less than LKR 2000 (or approx USD 20) per month.  The resulting tax structure no longer unjustly targets users at the BOP.
  • A rapid response intervention was made by Harsha de Silva on 8 October 2007 in Sri Lanka on the proposed plans to roll out backbone by the government of Sri Lanka.   Part of this plan included the laying of fibre optic cables along the rail tracks of Sri Lanka Railway. An argument was made that although this is not uncommon in other countries, in a country like Sri Lanka where the regulatory regime is not up to scratch, illustrating a potentially disastrous outcome  using the case of Nepal’s failed smart subsidy program . Moreover, in a country where much backbone already exists in the incumbent possession, focus should be on how to ensure successful infrastructure sharing, whereby exclusivities enjoyed by the incumbent are cut, and a non-discriminatory, cost-based access regime is established.

2006

  • Helani Galpaya provided comments and input on Sri Lanka’s Department of Census and Statistics questionnaire design, for the household computer literacy survey in August 2006; the survey was implemented in October 2006
  • Helani Galpaya visited the Bhutan Telecom Authority (BTA) from 1-2 September 2006; given the entry of two new private sector newspapers into the market and the upcoming democratic elections (and related campaigning through the media), the BTA was faced with having to decide what type of media regulation it would undertake. LIRNEasia made recommendations in this regard, proposing a workshop with the participation of all players to discuss their options; self-regulation by the participants was also discussed.
  • Rohan Samarajiva and Divakar Goswami were invited to make presentation son what shapers investment decisions in the telecom sector and on current policy and regulatory challenges facing the Indonesian ICT sector at the Seminar HariBhakti Postel 20-06 in Jakarta on 21 September 2006. The seminar was organised by MASTEL , representing a wide spectrum ICT industry representatives and by BRTI, the Indonesian regulatory authority. The audience consisted of commissioners from BRTI, policymakers from the Ministry of Communication and Information, representatives from the operators, industry associations and civil society groups.

2005

All rapid response actions during this year were undertaken by Rohan Samarajiva:

See detailed Rapid Response Report (2005)